Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone announced nation’s favourite children’s book after thousands vote

Reading charity Booktrust is today pleased to reveal that J.K. Rowling'sHarry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is the nation’s favourite children's book, with over 24,000 votes cast this autumn.

To mark Children’s Book Week 2013, proudly supported by Kindle, book fans of all ages were invited to pick their ultimate storybook to read before the age of 14, with a mixture of modern greats and beloved classics making the top ten. Already marking its territory as a hugely successful film franchise,The Hunger Games finished second behind the debut Harry Potter book. Classics such asThe BFG and The Very Hungry Caterpillar also ranked highly, both making the top ten.

The win adds yet another accolade to J.K. Rowling's magical creation, whose unrivalled success made her the world's first and only billionaire author. The adventures of the Gryffindor wizard inspired a whole generation of young and adult readers, with over 400 million copies of the book sold worldwide. The resulting films also proved critically and commercially successful and launched the careers of several British actors. And the proliferation of lucrative DVDs, toys, video games, memorabilia, and even theme park attractions contribute to the total global value of the franchise at $15bn.

Starting with 500 titles, Booktrust experts whittled them down to compile the list of 100 books every child must read before 14, giving bookworms the unenviable task of choosing their most-loved novel.

Titles were also split into age categories.The Very Hungry Caterpillar topped the 0-5 age group and Roald Dahl'sThe BFG won with 6-8 year olds. The top two reads overall,Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and The Hunger Games each triumphed in the 9-12 and 12-14 categories before total votes determined the final results.

The most popular titles show that although classic storytelling remains popular with younger children, modern franchises have had a real impact on older readers. Of the books in the top ten, nine have since been made into huge film adaptations.

Claire Shanahan, Head of Arts, Booktrust, said: "As the biggest ever grossing literary franchise, kids and adults alike clearly can't get enough of Harry Potter. It’s a worldwide phenomena - it has captured the imaginations of a generation of readers who have grown up in love with Harry or Hermione, want to be friends with Ron, and are truly terrified by Voldemort.Even when up against heavyweights such as Dahl and Tolkien, Rowling ‘s creation remains the nation’s firm favourite.”

“We’re thrilled that the public have voted in their thousands. Lists such as this are a great way of celebrating the outstanding quality of past and present authors and illustrators. Plus Christmas and the New Year is a fantastic time to get our children excited about books! ”

Emma Hopkin, MD Childrens and Educational, Bloomsbury Publishing, said:“We are thrilled that children have voted Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone as the nation’s favourite children’s book. It is wonderful that Harry Potter can still hold the same magic for children now as it did when it was first published sixteen years ago. Lists like this are such a brilliant way to engage debate and discussion of books for children and to reflect the sheer quality and variety that young readers can enjoy today.”

Jorrit Van der Meulen, Vice President, Amazon Kindle EU, said: “Everyone remembers their favourite childhood book. The public have voted in droves for their most-loved stories and it is fantastic to see such enthusiasm and interest in reading – a passion that we share at Amazon.”